"What makes you human?
Is it the fact that you can think on your own?
Is it because you can feel a multitude of emotions together and put them to words?
Or, is it because you can even think about others and even care for them, worry about them, forge bonds with them and even cry for them but most importantly, love them?
If that's the case, what are you when you don't have any of those reasons?
Are you an empty vessel? A doll? Or.....
A MONSTER?!"
.....
All of that felt like an endless dream.
It felt like I was actually going to die.
"Rin-chan, I don't want to die. Sa..."
Who is she?
"Hurry up. We need to take him to the hospital."
Sirens wailing.
" TAKE HIM TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM! HAVE ALL MY STUFF READY FOR THE PROCEDURE!"
Stretchers pulling in.
"PULSES ARE DROPPING RAPIDLY. HE WON'T MAKE IT."
Machine beeps.
"Dear? Why isn't he waking up? Answer me"
"I'm sorry. I gave it my all. But this is the best I could do. Right now, he's in an induced coma."
"No! I refuse to believe this. It's all a lie! Tell me it's a lie!"
"Dad! Why won't Nao wake up?"
"Nao! Nao!..."
This dream went on for quite a while, while I was frozen and trapped, I could hear those voices regularly.
There were a few voices that I remember hearing every day.
Sometimes they were in a tone of sadness.
".....And that's how I found the treasure, returned home, and found my happiness! How was it Nao? Did you like it? Tell me. You've already been asleep for a long time now. Please, wake up and call me Rin-chan, one more time! I promise I will cuddle up real good and never let you go. Please!..."
And sometimes, they were in a tone of loneliness.
"You know? Today I learned a lot about history and literature. I even had a trip last week. We went to Kyoto for 3 days. It was so big and beautiful. Everyone was clicking a lot of pictures there."
The voice grew weaker and fragile.
"You know, it was fun for a while. But it was starting to pain me. I couldn't see you for 3 days, but I never cried. I tried real hard, to make sure I didn't."
I felt as a hand grasped onto mine tightly.
" And yet!..."
Teardrops feel on our tightly held hands.
" I am the only one talking here, while you're still asleep. Please, wake up already. I'm scared of being alone. I don't like this. I'm sorry. Please, call me Yuki-nee once more. Just once!"
Over time, there were tones of rage and fury.
"Just cut his ventilation already and let him out of his misery already."
"Shut up. This is none of your concern! Stay away from him!"
"None of my concern you say? He's my son! I have every right to raise my concerns."
" Your son? You were the one who put him in this state!."
"It's just a burden for you. Why can't you understand such a simple thing? We've been over this for the past 6 months."
"Yumiko, enough! If you're worried about the hospital and medications, don't bother. He's in our care. Even if it takes many years, I'll still look after him! Leave, please!
From that conversation, it sounded like two women were arguing. One of them was Rinko-san and the other one was my mom I guess. Does she hate me?
Time passed before I finally woke up.
"Hey kid, it's been a while. Are you alright now? I was worried when I found you in that state."
"Nao! Nao!"
"Nao-kun!"
"Nao! Say something, why are you so quiet?"
Looks like they were expecting me to say something, but I uttered something else.
"Who are you all? "
"Who's Nao?"
"Who am I?"
Everyone in the room was stunned and the room was filled with a silence that I could see the lightning flash in the room, the rumbling of the noises of thunder, and a baby of a couple crying.
"Wait! Wh...What do you mean? Nao? Look. Yukiko's here. Your dear Yuki-nee. That's your family right there. Your mom Yumiko, Your dad Renji and your little brother Tatsuo. And that right there is Takeshi, my husband, and Yuki-nee's father."
She moved in my direction and grabbed my shoulders.
"And I'm Rinko, your dear Rin-chan. You said you love me!"
Did I say that to her? Did I mean so much to her? I couldn't understand what she was talking about.
"Sorry I don't understand. What's love?"
Devastation. That was the look she had on her face.
"I don't understand. Why?..... My dear Nao, why....!"
She sobbed.
" Nao has incurred a memory loss due to the force he received at the back of his head, which has led to a type of Alexithymia meaning he can't describe emotions and understand them. In simple words, The Nao we once knew is no more....."
The cries that were heard after that were engulfed in the thunderstorm that evening.
.....
Present-day.
"Nao?!"
Yuki-nee's eyes were locked onto me as her pupils dilated. The feelings she holds for me haven't died yet.
"You're still alive?! Why.....Why are you here? What else do you want from me!"
Or so I thought. Well going me, looks like I won't be an exceptional detective like Conan or Sherlock.
Speaking of which, I haven't purchased the new volume of Meitantei Conan. Oh boy! I'm in a world of pain.
Though Yukiko Harumi is a prodigy and my first love, she's not the same person anymore. People change over time and no one's an exception. Not even a prodigy nor your first love.
"I wish you were dead."
Why won't you look at me like you mean it?
Tears rolled down her cheek as she uttered those words. Make up your mind woman!
"How dare you make Madame Harumi cry. You're over today!"
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
The whole corridor started chanting those words. What's with these people.
As I let my guard down, a fist flew right towards me and hit my gut, and the next moment, I was down on my knees.
I felt the sensation of a foot over my head, as it pushed me to the ground. I tried to look up, hoping it was a girl or even better, Naomi-sensei but sadly it wasn't. Not even her look-alike from my class. Pfff!
"That's how you are supposed to apologize to her!"
An irritated and annoyed voice spoke to me.
"You Class K filth. How dare you talk to her like you know her. Know your level, you peasant."
Man, what's with these insults. I'm a human too. I can feel the emotions, I'm hurt you know, maybe just a little. Maybe not?
"Oh! But I do know her."
The whole hallway laughed unanimously.
"You know her? Oh my, my stomach aches."
"Yeah? And I've had dinner with J-league players and play with them, What a joke!"
"I've had enough with you!"
The voice above my head pressed me to the ground with rage.
"Can I bnow who the obnwr of this voice is?"
I was suffocating at this point.
"You're not on my level to know my name. If you're feeling angry or worthless for being in this situation, blame it on your parents who didn't clearly raise you properly, and for the fact that you bumped into Harumi-senpai."
Clearly, this is getting a bit too much. As I was thinking about it;
SLAP! The hallway went quiet all of a sudden. What happened? Yuki-nee? Wait, why did she?
"Who died and made you the KING?"
"Remember, You're my SLAVE!"
"Get your foot off his head, if you want to continue to play and value your foot!"
Slave? I'm clueless and I'd remain that way, but the scenario that proceeded was super hilarious.
As the guy removed his foot from my head, Yuki-nee charged at him and kneed him in his gut, and boy, did it hurt. The guy collapsed faster than I could put milk in my cereal.
"Why?"
The guy was agonizing in pain, while she pressed her foot on his head.
"I wonder why?"
She's clearly loving this. Was she this violent and outgoing?
"He insulted you and it was my duty to take care of it!"
That's for me to decide. Meanwhile,
"Hey, since we're on the same level now, would you tell me your name?"
"You bastard. Have you no shame? Just die!"
"Shame? Nope! But, it doesn't seem to make much of a difference, with you caring about it and still ending up like me."
A voice interrupted us.
"Remove your clothes!"
She directed it towards me.
"Why? My apologies but I feel ashamed, with so many people watching me. If it's only you and me, I wouldn't mind."
"And now you feel ashamed?"
I was enjoying this exchange when someone decided to interrupt us again.
"You're clearly enjoying this, aren't you?"
Yuki-nee fired a shot at me.
"Right back at you! I was sure that someone was clearly enjoying seeing me stomped as an insect!"
I got up and dusted myself, and continued...
"But I thought you'd be used to it by now, but I guess that's another one of the specialties you prodigies possess...."
No sooner I let those words out, Yuki-nee snaped at caught me by the collar, and shoved my back to the wall.
"Don't you dare say another word! Don't act so casual with me, as you've known me forever. That was ages ago. I'll never forgive you. You...You've taken everything from me and yet, standing here like none of it is not your fault. Screw you!"
She really did change. There was a lot of pain in her words.
"I...I've slept with multiple boys, sometimes more than one at the same time formed a master-slave pact with most of my juniors, both girls and guys who want to lay their hands on me. My boyfriend is the President of this high school, and I'm the queen of Hirafuki High School."
She was not done. She was desperately gasping for breath and continued,
"And...And the one who led me down this, and turned me into a whore, it's you. You are the reason I'm what I am now."
Tears rolled down as she was telling about the person who she is now.
"Now what are you going to do? Will you take responsibility for this? Can you? Would you? No! You wouldn't. "
Still not done?
"See this is who I am now. I'm not the kind and caring girl you once knew. I'm not a prodigy. Are you surprised now? Are you disappointed? Or, are you heartbroken? Seeing your dear Yuki-nee in this state!"
THIS IS YUKIKO HARUMI!